The Best Dimension
by flavumetrubrum
Summary: When the turtles and Master Splinter are sent to a different dimension, they're thrust into the middle of a fierce war. They must choose between staying to help their new friends or making the long journey to find the one who can return them to their home
1. Chapter 1

A new story! Yay! This one is a little different. Enjoy!

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Leo hated inter-dimensional travel. Period. He had given it three tries, willingly or not, and none of them had exactly been fun. His first trip to the Battle Nexus had been the worst—first, he had been dragged there by his brothers against Sensei's orders. Then they were attacked and Leo's swords had been broken. As if that weren't enough, he had almost been assassinated, he had been poisoned, and he had been forced to fight for the Daimyo's life as soon as he awoke. Not too much fun. His second trip had hardly been better. He had been separated from his family by the Ultimate Drako and sent to another dimension where he had to fight a giant snake to save Lord Noriyuki. He had then traveled to the Battle Nexus to try to find his family. There he had been tricked into helping the Ultimate Drako and forced to fight for both his and Usagi's life. The third time had sealed his distaste of other dimensions. Not only had he been depressed and guilty because of their last encounter with the Shredder, but he was scared to death for Mikey's life. He had again been forced to fight for someone's life—only this time it was a former enemy who now called him friend. Yes, he hated inter-dimensional travel.

But it didn't seem to hate him. No matter how much Leo detested other dimensions, he always seemed to find a way to end up in one. Whether he was sent there by an enemy or taken there by a friend, he never seemed to be able to escape. This time Leo wasn't even in the Battle Nexus. He had no idea where he was, but he knew that he didn't like it.

Leo pushed himself up off the ground where he had landed, instinctively checking for his swords. When he was satisfied that he hadn't lost anything, he began to look around for his family. He had been on a roof with his brothers and sensei when a portal had opened up and sucked him in. He could only assume that his family had been pulled along with him.

After thoroughly searching for any sign of his family and coming up with nothing, Leo truly looked at his surroundings for the first time. He was in a clearing in the middle of a forest of sorts. The trees were a silvery green and taller than any he had ever seen in his life. They were narrow but closely packed. The lowest branches were ten feet off the ground and touched those of the surrounding trees, creating a ceiling that kept all light from reaching the ground. The clearing Leo was in was large and completely enclosed by forest. There was a wide stream that flowed through the center of it, disappearing into the forest on both ends. The ground was rocky and there was little vegetation. Leo peered up into the sky, which was a very pale blue. He noticed with some curiosity that there were two suns, both smaller and dimmer than the earth's suns.

Leo sighed and began to follow the stream into the forest. If he was to find his family, he would have to move. He figured his best bet was to find some sort of civilization and make inquiries—if he could communicate with the inhabitants of this dimension, that is. If he followed the creek, he was sure to come across some sort of village or dwelling. He hoped that either his family was still at home, or that whoever did live here was friendly. Actually, he kind of hoped for both.

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Raph groaned and sat up, rubbing the back of his head. He was about to call for his brothers when he saw a tall human looking down at him curiously. _Aw, crud_. Raph stood up and backed away, reaching for his sai. _I got sighted! Leo's gonna kill me!_

"Please, friend. I mean you no harm. Your brother requested that I stay with you while he searched for the rest of your family," the man said, holding his hands out in front of him.

Raph leaped onto the man, knocking him onto his back. He placed his sai against the man's throat. "What do you know about my brother? Where is he?" he growled.

The man's eyes were wide but his voice remained calm. "Donatello is higher on the mountain, looking for your brothers and your 'sensei.' Please, Raphael, I am a friend." Raph begrudgingly let the man get up but kept his sai in his hands, eyeing the man suspiciously.

"And just how do you know Donny?" he asked, sparing a glance up the mountain to see if he could spot his brother. _Wait, mountain?_ Raph looked around frantically, trying to think of how he could have ended up here. He definitely wasn't in New York anymore. At the foot of the mountain was a large strange-looking forest. A river ran in one side and out the other. He looked up the mountain. He felt relief when he saw Don carefully making his way toward them, waving happily when he saw Raph awake and standing.

"Raph! You're awake." The intelligent turtle's eyes darted between an armed and disgruntled Raphael and the noticeably nervous man. "It's okay. Haki's a friend. He's going to help us find the guys."

Raph snorted skeptically but put his sai back in his belt. "Where the heck are we, anyway?"

Haki stepped forward, obviously relieved not to have the daggers pointed at him threateningly, and said, "This is the planet Jata, part of fourth earth. I am one of the few native Jatans left. I was sent into the forest to scout, and I was the only one of my men to make it out alive. Most of my people live on the East side of the mountain, in small villages scattered throughout the desert. Very few have ventured into the Silver Forest in fear of the Kartan."

"The what?" Raph asked. This was getting way too weird.

"The Kartan are snake-like men with venomous fangs and claws. They are responsible for my people's dwindling numbers. They have taken over the forest where we used to dwell and are now preparing to advance east over the mountain and into the desert. The only other place for us to withdraw is the ocean, and we are not an aquatic people. We have been forced to fight the Kartan, and it has been a futile effort so far."

"So why do you want to help us find our brothers?" Raph demanded, his suspicion still lingering.

"I have agreed to take you and Donatello to the desert when I return. On the way we can scour the mountain for your family. They also may be in the desert with my people."

"And if they're in the forest?"

"Then there is little hope of them making it out alive."

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I started this not knowing at all how it was going to go, and I almost have it all planned out now. Don't worry, I'm not going to abandon "I Shall Avenge", by any means, but I got really excited about this one and wanted to go ahead and start it. Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks so much to Eridani23, Sapphire93, 54Viruses, BigfootSighted, Jarred706, and winged-monkey for your reviews. I do not own the turtles or other related characters (but Jata and residents are mine). Enjoy!

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Mikey landed with a grunt in a pile of sand. He pushed himself up, spitting the gritty substance from his mouth, and looked around him. He was not in a pile of sand, but in a sea of it. He seemed to be in a desert of some sort, and two hot suns were shining down on him. _Wait a second,_ he thought, shading his eyes and looking back up into the sky. _I may not be Donny but I know we only have one sun in New York._ Mikey scratched his head and again looked around him. "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," he said aloud.

"Nor do I, my son. Where are your brothers?" Mikey whirled around to see Master Splinter standing behind him, sand stuck to his fur and ever-present walking stick missing.

"I dunno, Sensei. I thought I was alone there for a second. Where are we?"

"I do not know for sure, Michelangelo, but I do believe we are somewhere in fourth earth. I have never been here before, but I have heard about it from my friend the Daimyo."

Mikey scratched his head again, thoroughly confused. "Fourth earth? How the shell did we end up here?"

"Language, Michelangelo," Splinter admonished. At a sheepish look from the youngest turtle the rat sensei answered, "I do believe that portal sent us here. However, I do not know who opened the portal, or for what reason."

Michelangelo looked away from his father and again studied his surroundings. There was a mountain to his left, but to his right was only a large stretch of more sand. Suddenly some movement caught his eye and he saw a small band of really tall men heading toward them. "Um, Sensei? We've got company."

"I see them, my son. Prepare to defend yourself if they are unfriendly." Mikey nodded and placed his hands on his nun chucks. He refrained from drawing them, however, when he noticed that although the men were armed, they held their hands out in front of them and walked slowly, seemingly to avoid alarming them.

As soon as the men were a mere ten feet away the tallest, apparently the leader, stepped forward and addressed them. "Splinter-san. We have been expecting you."

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Raph stepped back and held up his hands. "Whoa, back up that train there, buddy. If our family's in there, and it's dangerous, we have to help them. We can't just hope that they're in the desert. We have to make sure."

"Raph, I feel the same way," Donny said. "But the reality is, we wouldn't stand much of a chance either. If the three of us went in there alone, we most likely wouldn't make it out either. If no one's even in there, then that would be stupid and pointless."

"Donatello is right, Friend. My team consisted of ten men and I am the only survivor of which I know. The best chance your family has, if indeed they are in the forest, is for us to return to my people and form a team to rescue them. If we are lucky, we will find them already in my village."

"Come on, Raph. Even you have to see the wisdom in what Haki's saying. The only thing we'd accomplish if we ran into the forest after them is to get ourselves killed."

"Fine," Raph growled, hating the situation. He wanted to act, not wait and hope for the best. But as much as he didn't want to, he couldn't help but see their point. "We'll go to the stupid desert. But if they aren't there, we're putting together a team and leaving the second we get there."

Donny looked relieved as he placed his hand on his older brother's shoulder and began to walk east up the mountain. "The very second. Thanks, Raphie." The hotheaded turtle snorted but couldn't keep a small smile from his face. Only Donny could get away with calling him that….

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Leo froze when he saw something move from the corner of his eye. As calmly and silently as he could he reached over his shoulders and drew his katana, moving easily into a defensive stance. He glanced around until he spotted a figure walking toward him between the trees. The figure—who seemed to be a man—continued to advance, unfazed by Leo's glare and the weapons in his hands. The man was tall but walked slightly stooped over, his long hair falling in his pale face. His eyes were red and glowing, and his pupils were tiny slits. His long, forked tongue flicked in and out of his fanged mouth, and his long fingernails, almost like claws, were red with dried blood. The "man" hissed as he walked, eyes fixed on Leonardo.

Leo tried to fight down his panic at the man's creepy appearance, but he found it almost impossible to look away. There was something mesmerizing about those eyes…. Leo forced himself to break eye-contact but was greeted by the sight of three more of the strange men coming out of the forest, all hissing. Leo growled in frustration and lunged at the nearest one, swinging his katana in front of him. He was really beginning to hate this dimension….

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Another chapter. Yay! I'm having so much fun writing this story…. Anyway, thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks so much to Eridani23, Sapphire93, 54Viruses, BigfootSighted, Jarred706, and winged-monkey for your reviews. I do not own the turtles or other related characters (but Jata and residents are mine). Enjoy!

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Michelangelo and Master Splinter sat side-by-side in the spacious tent, waiting for the leader of the Jatans. They had been brought here by Torme, the leader's son, who had been sent to find the mutant family. Mikey shifted restlessly on the rug that covered the sandy ground and peered at the door through which the leader should appear soon. Torme entered, followed by an older man who was surrounded by Jatan warriors. The younger of the two stepped forward, addressing Mikey and his father again.

"Splinter-san, Michelangelo-san, this is my father and the leader of the Jatans, Kitoma. Father, these are two of the warriors you summoned."

The elderly man nodded to the two ninjas before sitting in his ceremonial chair facing his guests. Torme stood to the side, between his father and the guards. "Splinter-san, I am honored by your company. But where are your other sons? I expected more of you."

Master Splinter bowed his head and replied, "I am honored as well, Kitoma-sama. I do not know where my other sons are; we were separated by the portal."

The old man frowned and rubbed his chin. "This is indeed troubling. My most skilled magicians opened the portal; you should have all arrived together in my camp. I will send out a team immediately to search for your sons."

Mikey was thoroughly confused. This man had brought them here? "Um, if you don't mind my asking, why did you bring us here in the first place?" he asked.

"Michelangelo!" Splinter admonished, but Kitoma lifted a hand to stay his lecture.

"It is alright, Splinter-san. Michelangelo is entitled to ask such a question. I should have explained sooner. My people are at war with a people known as the Kartan. They have killed many of our warriors and most of our women and have driven us from our home in the Silver Forest. They are now threatening to advance on the only haven we have left. If they succeed, my people will be wiped out. We have nowhere left to retreat but into the ocean, and we cannot survive for long on the water. We have summoned you here to request your aid in fighting the Kartan. You do not have to grant our request; you are free to leave whenever you wish. But you are our last hope. We will help you find your family, then you may make your decision."

Splinter stood and bowed, taking his last statement as a dismissal. "Thank you, Kitoma-sama. We will consider your request." Mikey mimicked his sensei's actions, also bowing.

"Torme will accompany you to your tents. I will send for you as soon as we receive news about any of your sons." The leader's son stepped forward and led them to a group of five tents, motioning to two of them.

"You may stay here Splinter-san, Michelangelo-san. Thank you for considering our request." Torme turned and left, leaving the father and son alone to think about Kitoma's words.

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Leo fought the snake men as hard as he could. One of them already lay dead at his feet and one was severely wounded, but the other two were still fighting back strongly. He sent a flying kick at the closest one, aiming for its head. The creature caught his foot with one hand and drove the claws on the other into Leo's flesh, cutting his ankle open. The ninja bit back a cry as white-hot pain shot up his leg from the wounds. He landed awkwardly on one leg and barely kept himself from falling onto his shell.

Leo pushed the searing pain from his mind and continued to fight. Why did it hurt so much? The shallow scratches shouldn't be aching so badly, but it felt like fire. He fought back a bout of nausea as he attacked the snake creature who had scratched him. He swung out with his katana but only managed to cut a thin slice on the creature's cheek, angering it. He barely missed the man's claws as they swung for his plastron. He immediately had to block an attack from the other remaining creature who was trying to bite him. _Gross,_ he thought, eyeing the fangs protruding from the snake man's mouth.

Leo had just killed the third creature when the last and strongest leaped at him, landing on his plastron and knocking him onto his shell. The fangs sank deep into Leo's neck even as he drove his sword through the creature's chest, killing him instantly. Leo pushed the snake creature off of him, feeling the fangs slide out of his flesh. He tried to stand but immediately collapsed onto his plastron, his vision blacking out. He began to shake uncontrollably and his stomach lurched like he was going to be sick. Before he could, however, he was unconscious.

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Don walked next to Raph, following Haki to his village. The two brothers hadn't said anything since setting off toward the desert, both worried about their family. Although Don knew they had made the best choice, he knew Master Splinter, Leo, and Mikey could all be dead or dying in the Silver Forest, and they were walking in the opposite direction. Don glanced back over his shoulder, breathing a silent prayer that they weren't leaving anyone behind.

The mountain wasn't very tall and they trio was soon making its way down the east slope, overlooking a vast desert. Haki suddenly stopped and pointed toward the horizon, squinting. "There is my village," he said, his voice betraying both his excitement and his agitation. Don sighed. He knew the man wasn't looking forward to telling his leader about the men he had lost. Haki was frowning now, still staring toward his home. "There's a group of men making their way here. I wonder if our leader has sent out a search party for my team. Let us continue, my friends."

Don and Raph again began maneuvering the steep slope, being careful of the rocky surface. If they fell, it would be a long way down with nothing to stop their fall but more rocks. Haki seemed at home on the slope, however, and barely spared the boulders a glance.

Haki stopped again, clearly more agitated now. "That is Torme, my leader's son. He would not be out here simply to look for a team of warriors." Haki raised a hand and waved to the band of Jatans, then turned and motioned to the two ninjas to follow him. He bounded down the mountain, leaving the turtles relying heavily on their ninja skills as they trailed him as quickly as they could.

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Raph finally caught up to Haki as the man stood talking with the leader of the group of Jatans. Don came to a stop beside him. The one Haki had called Torme turned and looked at them. "Ah, I see you have already found the warriors, my friend. You must be the ones called Raphael and Donatello. But tell me, where is Leonardo-san?"

Raphael was confused. "How do you know our names? And what do you want with Leo?"

The Jatan looked stunned for a moment before recovering. "Forgive me, Friend. I am Torme, son of Kitoma, lord of the Jatans. I have come from our village only a few hours ago, send by Splinter-san and Michelangelo-san to find his three remaining sons. I see the eldest is not with you." Raphael looked at Donatello. His younger brother's face reflected the dread he was sure showed on his own.

"We were hoping he was with you," Donatello said.

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Aren't I so evil? You'll probably hate me even more after the next chapter…. Thanks for reading and I'll update as soon as I can.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks so much to Eridani23, Sapphire93, 54Viruses, BigfootSighted, Jarred706, and winged-monkey for your reviews. I do not own the turtles or other related characters (but Jata and residents are mine). Enjoy!

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Mikey rushed to the edge of the village when he heard Torme returning with the band of Jatans. Master Splinter was still in his tent meditating, and Mikey had gone to see if his older brothers were with the men. Torme was leading the men, speaking quietly with a Jatan Mikey didn't remember seeing before. Don and Raph were walking behind the two, both looking worried. _Wait a minute. Where's Leo?_

Mikey ran to his brothers, glad to see they were okay. "Bros, you guys had me so worried. We thought you were like in the Forest of Death or something."

"It's called the Silver Forest, Mikey, and we're fine. Where's Master Splinter?" Don replied, the concerned look not leaving his eyes even as he smiled at his little brother. Now Mikey was really worried about Leo.

"He's in his tent meditating. Um, guys, where's Leo?" Before his brothers could answer Torme turned and addressed them.

"Haki and I must report to my father. Michelangelo-san, I suggest you take your brothers to your tents and do the same." Mikey nodded and began walking back to their dwellings, again looking at his brothers.

"We were hoping to find him here with you, but now we can only assume he's in the forest. Haki promised he would put a rescue team together as soon as we got here if anyone was missing, but…." Don's voice trailed off and he looked at the ground, unable to continue. Mikey could feel the color drain from his face as his intelligent brother's words sank in. _They have killed many of our warriors and most of our women and have driven us from our home in the Silver Forest, _Mikey repeated Kitoma's words to himself. _Leo…._

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Raph felt his familiar anger build as he approached the small group of tents with his brothers. He knew they should have gone straight into the stupid forest instead of wasting precious time—Leo's time—traipsing all the way to the desert and back. Raph growled subconsciously and placed his hand on the handle of his sai, thinking through everything he would do to the Kartan if they so much as hissed at his brother.

Mikey led them to one of the tents, pushing the flap aside and holding it open for his brothers. Raph ducked in after Donny, seeing Master Splinter kneeling in the center. At first Raph thought he was still meditating, but it quickly became apparent that he was fully alert and waiting for them. The three brothers bowed and knelt in front of their father, dreading telling him what they knew.

"My sons, I am happy to see you well. We have many things to discuss. But where is Leonardo? Did he not return with you?" Splinter said, causing Raph to cringe. He really didn't want to be the one to say anything. Relief and guilt swelled up inside him when Don sighed.

"We think he's in the forest, Master Splinter. There's not really anywhere else he could be. We can only hope he's already out and making his way here," the brainy turtle explained. Raph looked at the ground. _Not even Fearless Leader would know to look for us here. He's probably wanderin' around in the stupid forest lookin' fer us, _he thought. He refrained from saying anything out loud, however, when he saw the hopeful look on Mikey's face. _Keep hopin', Mikey. I'm glad somebody can._

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Don watched Master Splinter closely, trying to read his reaction. The ninja master seemed agitated, evidenced by the twitching of his whiskers and the gentle lashing of his tail. "I see…. I must meditate on the present situation. Raphael, Donatello; you must be tired. Get some rest; I will call you when I…."

Raph slammed his fist on the ground, letting out a loud growl. Don whirled to look at him, startled by his abrupt interruption. "That's your reaction to everything, isn't it Master Splinter? Leo's in trouble—let's meditate! Well I ain't gonna just sit around and wait until Leo shows up. I'm gonna go look for him." Raph stood up and stalked toward the door of the tent, prepared to leave the village in search of his brother.

Don was shocked by his older brother's outburst, but he was even more shocked when Mikey stood up and yelled back, "Raphael, running into the forest and getting yourself into trouble isn't going to help Leo. Master Splinter's right—we need to prepare before we just go rushing off to find him. So you aren't going anywhere until Sensei says so." Two turtles and a rat gaped at Michelangelo, stunned speechless by his uncharacteristic speech. Raph stood staring for a moment before storming out of the tent. Donatello rushed after him, afraid he was going to leave anyway, but was relieved to see him disappear into one of the tents.

Mikey walked up behind Don, a slightly sheepish look on his face. "Mikey, when did you grow up?"

"Oh, I didn't. I just watch Leo when he's on Raph's case. I never thought it would come in handy," Mikey grinned, his normal careless personality back full-force. Don just sighed in mock frustration and also went into his tent.

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The Jatan warrior moved stealthily among the trees, looking out for any of the Kartan. He knew he had heard a fight coming from this direction—perhaps one of his team mates had also survived. He moved slowly around the trunk of one of the silver trees and saw the aftermath of a battle spread before him. Four Kartan lay dead in various spots around the empty space between trees, and among them lay one green creature, the likes of which the warrior had never seen before. He walked carefully toward the green one, wary of any remaining Kartan, and knelt beside his still body.

The green one was obviously a great warrior; he clutched two swords stained with the black blood of the Kartan. The Jatan turned the green one onto his back, examining him for any wounds. His ankle was cut and swollen, the flesh around it black and oozing. His neck had two puncture wounds which were bleeding lazily, and his neck and shoulder were inflamed. The warrior recognized the signs of a Kartan bite all too well. The ankle wound would not prove to be fatal, but the neck wound very well could. The Jatan felt for the green one's pulse; it was weak, but he was still alive. He would have to hurry and try to get him to his village before the poison finished him.

The warrior hoisted the green one onto his back, surprised by his weight. _It must be the armor he wears on his back,_ he thought, making his slow way back to the edge of the forest. Hopefully he could reach his village in time….

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Mikey paced back and forth inside his tent, impatient for word from his sensei. Despite his words to Raph earlier, he was also frustrated with the delay. Haki had offered to take a search party out to look for him—why hadn't Master Splinter accepted? He could meditate while they were looking for Leo. Hours had passed since the rat had sent Mikey and his brother to their tents, and they hadn't heard anything from him. If Leo hadn't been dead before, he very well could be by now. Mikey hastily pushed the thought from his head, determined to remain positive.

Mikey heard a commotion from the edge of the village—it sounded as if someone was returning. He didn't remember anyone leaving other than Torme, and he was already back. Mikey made his way toward the noise, more out of boredom than curiosity. He saw a group of Jatans—Torme and Haki among them, surrounding another native warrior. They were all looking at something on the ground, but Mikey couldn't see what it was. He was about to return to the tents and see if his brothers were awake when Torme called out, "Michelangelo-san! Simari has found your brother!"

Mikey was instantly on the ground at their feet, kneeling next to an unconscious Leonardo. The older turtle was shaking violently and his normally healthy green skin was a sickly pale gray color. "What happened? What's wrong with him?" Mikey shouted, frantically checking to make sure his brother was still alive.

"I found him in the Silver Forest. He killed four of the Kartan but did not escape unharmed. He has worsened severely since I left the forest. I only hope it is not too late," one of the warriors, obviously Simari, said.

"Is there anything you can do? You have to save him," Mikey pleaded, looking around him desperately. Torme placed his hand on his shoulder, looking at the ground.

"I am sorry, Michelangelo-san, but there is nothing our healers can do to fight the effects of the venom. Your brother is…."

"No!" Mikey shouted, scooping Leo into his arms and running as fast he could with his burden back to the tents. "Donny! Donny, it's Leo! Donny!"

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I thought about not ending it here, but the chapter was getting pretty long and I thought I would build the suspense. I thought I'd give you a chance to exercise your "nasty-looking weapons" privileges. My only request is that you let me live, at least until after the next chapter. Thanks for reading. I'll update as soon as I can.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks so much to Eridani23, Sapphire93, 54Viruses, BigfootSighted, Jarred706, winged-monkey, and KittyGrl24 for your reviews. I do not own the turtles or other related characters (but Jata and residents are mine).

Okay, so I know I'm going to have people mad at me toward the end of the chapter, but just bear with me—please don't kill me before I have a chance to redeem myself. Just read through to the end of the chapter, then you may choose to kill me or let me live. Thanks so much, and enjoy!

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Don awoke to the sound of Mikey screaming his name frantically from outside his tent. Don was about to roll over, thinking Raph was threatening their little brother again, when he heard something that almost made his heart stop.

"Donny! It's Leo… you gotta help him! He's dying!" Don was out of bed in an instant, tucking his bo in his belt and grabbing his ever-present duffel bag. He sprinted out of the tent, coming face-to-face with a screaming Mikey. Raph was already flying out of his tent, a shocked expression on his face.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Donny asked, trying to get Mikey's attention. The younger turtle was still clutching Leo, who was unnervingly pale and shaking, as if afraid to put him down. Don pulled him into his tent, motioning to the bed he had been sleeping in only a moment before. "Mikey, what happened?" he demanded again, firmer this time. He was vaguely aware of Raph entering the tent after them, but the hothead stated back by the door, watching from a distance.

"One of the Jatans found him in the forest and brought him back here. He was bitten by the Kartan… Donny, you have to do something. Torme said their healers can't do anything…."

"It's okay, Mikey. I'll do everything I can." Even after Mikey set Leo down on the bed, he continued to cling to his oldest brother. Don tried to work around him for a moment but he couldn't accurately assess the damage. He turned to his older brother who still stood at the door of the tent and motioned to Mikey. Raph immediately came forward and wrapped the youngest turtle in a hug, pulling him away from Don's work space.

The brainy brother began to examine Leo, taking in the extent of his injuries. His ankle was horrible-looking, and his neck was swollen and beginning to turn black. Without turning around he asked his brothers, "Can one of you go get one of the Jatan healers? I need to know as much as I can about the poison and how much time I have left. Get whoever found him, too. I need to know how long ago it happened." One of the two left, and Don continued to check Leo's state. His pulse was weak and erratic, and his breath came in strained gasps. Suddenly Raph was beside him, staring at their older brother.

"Donny, can ya do anything? Do you have anything to get rid of the poison?" the red-banded turtle asked, his eyes not leaving Leo's face. Don sighed, feeling helpless.

"The poison was injected directly into his bloodstream. Unless the Jatans have an antidote, I don't know what we can do…."

"I got 'em! I got 'em, Donny!" Mikey yelled, bursting into the tent followed by two Jatans, one male and one female. The female was immediately at his side, looking intently at Leonardo.

"My name is Kirou; I am a healer." The Jatan woman turned to look at the other native. "Simari, how long ago did you find him?"

"Three hours ago now. The fight was barely over when I arrived—Leonardo-san could not have been unconscious for more than five minutes." Kirou did not stop moving, her hands flying over Leo, checking him for any injuries other than the two obvious ones. Satisfied that he only had two wounds she focused on the worst—Leo's neck.

Don cleared his throat, looking at the woman beside him. "Is there any antidote?" he asked, feeling small and helpless. "What can I do?"

"There is no antidote. The only thing to do is to remove the infected areas and hope that the poison has not reached his heart yet." Don's heart almost stopped beating when he heard the healer's words.

"_Remove_ the infected areas? As in, _cut them off_?" Don said, panic causing his normally calm voice to rise in both volume and pitch. He heard a small squeak from behind him, but he ignored it and looked back at his brother.

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Mikey's eyes widened when he heard Donny's question. Not only did the panic in his usually rational brother's voice scare him, but the words themselves caused his blood to turn to ice. They were going to cut Leo up? What would that solve? It wasn't like they could cut Leo's neck off. He turned to Raph for support, and his older brother put an arm around his shoulders. The look in his eyes was anything but comforting, however. Raph looked scared, but the disturbing thing was the lack of his familiar anger. Raph seemed… resigned, almost. As if he was expecting something horrible that not even fighting could solve. Mikey buried his face in Raph's shoulder, trying to shut out the sight of Leo's trembling form and the eerie look in Raph's eyes.

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Don tried to calm himself, knowing the only way he could be of any help was if he stayed rational. "What do I need to do?" he asked Kirou. The woman checked Leo's pulse, looking at Don as she did so.

"This is going to be dangerous. The poison has already had time to spread through most of his bloodstream, and his pulse is irregular. The shock may kill him if the poison does not first. I need you to monitor his vitals while I do the procedure. I will start on his neck; that is the more dangerous of the two wounds. Tell me if anything changes." The woman began to prep the area, murmuring quietly to herself as she did so. Don couldn't catch her words, but they sounded foreign.

As soon as everything was ready Kirou took out a knife and began to carve away at the dead flesh around the bite. Don looked away, focusing on Leo's face as he felt Leo's pulse and listened to his ragged breathing. Suddenly Leo's body went rigid and stiff before falling limp, unnervingly still. Under Don's fingers, Leo's pulse wavered and died. 

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Kirou paused in her work, glancing up at Donatello-san's startled cry. "It stopped! His pulse is gone." She looked sharply at his chest; it was still. His harsh breathing no longer sounded in the small tent. She looked up at Donatello, whose face had gone white and his eyes wider than she would have thought possible. "Do something!" he all but shrieked, pushing her out of the way and beginning CPR on his unresponsive brother.

"Donatello. Donatello-san. There is nothing that can be done. The poison has reached his heart. We were too late," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder as he stopped and fell forward, sobbing onto Leonardo's plastron. "I am very sorry." She stood and walked out of the tent, followed by a strangely shaken Simari, leaving the family alone to mourn.

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Raph almost stopped breathing when the healer left, all but announcing Leo's death as she did so. Mikey was suddenly gone from his embrace, running across the tent. He dropped to his knees beside Donatello, wailing and clutching Leo's limp hand. Raph backed out of the tent, panic and denial welling up inside him. He had been expecting this and yet—now that it had happened it was as if part of him was missing. Part of him _was_ missing. The ever-present anger that had sustained him through everything, the fire that had always kept him going, was suddenly gone. He let the flap of the tent fall closed and walked slowly, as if in a dream, to Master Splinter's tent. Someone needed to tell him.

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Mikey clung to Leo's hand as if holding him back from death. But it was too late. Leo was gone…. Leo, their strength, their rock, their protection… was gone. He heard the tent flap move again, and again he ignored it. He did look up, however, when he heard Master Splinter's voice.

"My son," Master Splinter whispered, making his way over to kneel beside the others. The old sensei's voice was grief-stricken and his face was twisted as if he was in pain. Mikey looked back at Leo, trying to shut out his father's grief. He heard Raph join the small group gathered around Leo. The sounds of Raph crying were foreign to Mikey's ears, and as they grew louder they seemed to drive home the reality of what had happened.

His own wailing grew more intense as the family wrapped their arms around each other, mourning for their lost brother and son.

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The spirit lingered in the shadows, watching the small group of mutants as they mourned for their loved one. It took a step out of its hiding place, moving toward the heart-wrenching scene. It moved forward noiselessly, passing the turtles and rat without alerting them of its presence. It placed a ghostly hand on the dead one's forehead and began to chant. In a second voice, clearer and louder than the first, it said, "Leonardo. You have been given another chance at life. Your family needs you—it is not yet your time. Live well, and you will die with honor when your day comes." The spirit stepped back and disappeared in a swirl of wind. Leonardo's body shuddered and took a slow, tentative breath.

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I told you you needed to read to the end (a big thanks to anyone who did)! I could never kill Leo for real! I love him too much! Please do not kill me for his almost-sort-of death.

I know Don seems a little OOC in this chapter, but I think that might be how he would react in a situation in which one of his brothers was in mortal danger and he had no idea how to help. It's always been my belief that the reason he is able to remain so calm is that he knows what he's doing and he knows he has to stay rational in order to do it. In this case, he knew nothing about the Kartan poison and therefore I think he might have lost his cool.

Thanks for reading and reviewing (and for letting me live… please?) I'll update as soon as I can.


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks so much to Eridani23, Sapphire93, 54Viruses, BigfootSighted, Jarred706, winged-monkey, and KittyGrl24 for your reviews. I do not own the turtles or other related characters (but Jata and residents are mine).

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Leo was first aware of something whispering in his ear. "Leonardo. You have been given another chance at life. Your family needs you—it is not yet your time. Live well, and you will die with honor when your day comes." Suddenly he felt feeling rush back to him and he heaved a shaky breath, his whole body shuddering. He felt heavy and thoroughly exhausted, but he wasn't in pain like he had expected.

He moaned and tried to sit up, but he was too stiff to move. He turned his head to the side, forcing himself to open his eyes. His brothers and sensei were sleeping next to his bed, their faces streaked with tears and their eyes red and swollen. His heart broke when he saw their sadness; he cursed himself for causing them grief. Leo tried to call out to them, but all that he could manage was a hoarse groan.

Leo closed his eyes, mustering all the strength and determination he could. He took a deep breath and forced it out of his lungs. "Don," he croaked, knowing he had the best chance of waking his light-sleeping little brother. The brainy turtle stirred and moaned, his hand going to his head.

"What?" he mumbled, his eyes still closed.

Leo smiled, forcing himself to speak again. "Donny…" he managed.

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Donatello's eyes snapped open, staring in disbelief at his "dead" brother. Leo lay on the bed before him, breathing and looking at him, still but very alive. Don scooted back, rubbing his eyes and wondering if he was dreaming. Or had he been dreaming before….

Don recovered from his shock and pushed himself to his feet, running to Leo's side. He threw his arms around the older turtle's neck, again sobbing into his plastron. Only this time it was out of joy and relief. "You were dead… I know you were… and we thought you were gone…" he said quickly, wiping away his tears. He suddenly realized that Leo had yet to move or say anything besides his name, and his brows instantly creased with worry. Had whatever caused his apparent death disabled him? Was he paralyzed?

"'S okay, Don. 'M just tired. Dying's… no fun…." Leo mumbled, closing his eyes again. Don's brows drew even closer together. Leo thought he had actually died? That was scientifically impossible…. When Don heard Master Splinter stir behind him, he pushed the thoughts from his mind. He could worry about that later. For now, he had to let the rest of his family know that Leo wasn't really dead.

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Splinter, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo all sat cross-legged in the floor of Kitoma's tent. The elderly man sat in his throne, flanked by his son Torme. Haki, Simari, and Kirou all knelt behind the mutant family. Everyone looked to the leader of the Jatans, impatient to find out what had gone on with Leonardo.

According to Kirou, the Jatan healer, Leo had been revived by the Spirit of Life. She claimed that it was one of the four deities of Jata—there was also the Spirit of Death, and the spirits of sorrow and joy. She had summoned the Spirit of Life when she realized there was no way to save Leonardo, and the spirit had found him worthy of living. Don shook his head. He knew there had to be a scientific explanation for what had happened. There was no way some spirit could revive someone from the dead. No, Don and Kirou must have missed something. Leo must not have really died, or… something.

Mikey, always superstitious, had accepted Kirou's story readily. He had thanked her over and over for summoning the spirit, believing that without her his brother would still be dead. Don was willing—and happy—to credit his brother's survival to the Jatan woman. He hadn't known anything about the poison, and the only explanation was that something the healer did had saved him.

Kitoma stood and cleared his throat, looking at each of the occupants of his tent. His gaze finally settled on Master Splinter as he began to speak. "Kirou has told me all that has passed. I am very sorry that my actions have caused you to almost lose one of your sons. I never meant to place any of them in harm's way unwillingly. Please accept my sincerest apologies." The old man bowed before looking back to Splinter, who nodded and returned the gesture, signifying his forgiveness. Kitoma seemed to breathe a silent sigh of relief before turning to the three turtles. "I must apologize to you as well, honorable warriors, for what has happened to your brother and leader." Another set of bows were exchanged before the Jatan sat back down.

"All is forgiven, Kitoma-sama. But please, I wish to know more of this… 'Spirit of Life.' What effects will all of this have on Leonardo?" Splinter asked.

Kitoma's eyebrows drew together as he pondered the question. "The four spirits are our equivalent of earth's deities. They are not worshipped as much as honored and respected. They assist our people when needed and we grant them a percentage of the fruits of our labors at the end of every season. As of late, we have not been able to offer much. It has been some time since any of the spirits has made an appearance. If they have, it has mostly been either the Spirit of Death or the Spirit of Sorrow. It has been many ages since one of our people have been granted further life. I do not know of any effects—but I am no expert on the Spirits. I believe Kirou knows more of them than I do."

The woman stood and bowed to Master Splinter, then to Kitoma. She then turned and addressed the small group. "The effects of return to life are varied and inconsistent. Many records show a drastically shortened life span, and some show a significantly lengthened one. A few cases were recorded in which the revived person regained only limited use of their bodily functions, although I have found no evidence of this with Leonardo-san. For the most part, only time will tell how he will react." She bowed again before taking her seat next to the other Jatans.

Don frowned, eyes fixed on the floor. It seemed as if Master Splinter believed the Jatans when they spoke of their spirits. Knowing Leo, he believed as well. He had always been interested in supernatural events, and if Sensei believed it, Leo would too. Don wasn't so sure. Evidently there were records of other similar events… perhaps if he looked at them he could figure out what was going on. He would have to ask Kirou if she would show them to him.

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I know this has moved slowly so far, but it should get more interesting soon. There will be fighting, I promise! Thanks for reading and I'll update as soon as I can.


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